2014 Seat Alhambra wiper blades

106Lights and visibility
Windscreen wiper and washer
Introduction
Additional information and warnings:
● Recirculation of air conditioner air ⇒ page 157
● Working in the engine compartment ⇒ page 279
● Caring for and cleaning the vehicle exterior ⇒ page 246
WARNING
Water from the windscreen washer water bottle may freeze on the wind-
screen if it does not contain enough anti-freeze, reducing forward visibili-
ty.
● In winter, ensure the windscreen washer contains enough anti-freeze.
● In cold conditions, you should not use the wash/wipe system unless
you have warmed the windscreen with the ventilation system. The anti-
freeze could freeze on the windscreen and reduce visibility.
WARNING
Worn or dirty wiper blades reduce visibility and increase the risk of acci-
dent and serious injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn blades or blades which do not clean
the windscreen correctly.
CAUTION
In icy conditions, always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the
glass before using the wipers for the first time. In cold weather, it may help
to leave the vehicle parked with the wipers in service position ⇒ page 108. Control lamp
lights upPossible causeSolution
Windscreen wiper fluid level
too lowTop up the windscreen wiper
reservoir as soon as possible
⇒ page 110.
Several warning and control lamps should light up for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched on, signalling that the function is being verified.
They will switch off after a few seconds.
CAUTION
Failure to heed the control lamps and text messages when they appear may
result in faults in the vehicle. 

110Lights and visibility
● Damaged blades: A film of water on the damaged blades may lengthen
the activation time, reduce the washing intervals or result in a fast and con-
tinuous wipe.
● Insects: insects on the sensor may trigger the windscreen washer.
● Salt on roads: in winter, salt spread in the roads may cause an extra
long wipe when the windscreen is almost dry.
● Dirt: dry dust, wax, coating on glass (Lotus effect) or traces of detergent
(car wash) may reduce the effectiveness of the rain sensor or make it react
more slowly, later or not at all.
● Cracked windscreen: the impact of a stone will trigger a single wipe cy-
cle with the rain sensor on. Next the rain sensor detects the reduction in the
sensitive surface area and adapts accordingly. The behaviour of the sensor
will vary with the size of the damage caused by the stone.
WARNING
The rain sensor may not detect enough rain to switch on the wipers.
● If necessary, switch on the wipers manually when water on the wind-
screen obstructs visibility.
Note
● Clean the sensitive surface of the rain sensor regularly and check the
blades for damage ⇒ Fig. 70 (arrow).
● To remove wax and coatings, we recommend a window cleaner contain-
ing alcohol. Checking and topping up the windscreen washer reservoir
with water
Fig. 71 In the engine
compartment: wind-
screen washer reservoir
top
Check the water level in the windscreen washer reservoir regularly and top
up as required.
● Open the bonnet 
⇒  page 279.
● The washer reservoir is marked with the symbol  on the lid
⇒ Fig. 71.
● Check there is enough water in the reservoir.
● To top up, mix water with a window cleaner recommended by SEAT
⇒ 
.
Please follow the instructions for use found on the packaging.
● In cold weather, a special antifreeze should also be added to prevent
the water from freezing ⇒ 
.
Reservoir capacity
The reservoir holds approximately 3.0 litres; in vehicles with headlight
washer, it is approximately 7.0 litres. 

247
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
Washing the vehicle
The longer substances such as insects, bird droppings, resinous tree sap,
road dirt, industrial deposits, tar, soot or road salt and other aggressive ma-
terials remain on the vehicle, the more damage they do to the paintwork.
High temperatures (for instance due to strong sunlight) further intensify the
corrosive effect. The vehicle undercarriage should also be thoroughly wash-
ed at regular intervals.
Automatic car washes
Always observe the instructions provided at the automatic car wash. The
standard precautionary measures prior to entering the car wash should be
taken to avoid damage to the vehicle (close all windows, fold in exterior mir-
rors). If the vehicle is fitted with additional components (spoiler, roof-rack,
aerial...), check with the car wash supervisor whether these can enter the
car wash ⇒ 
.
The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the vehicle can normally be washed
without problems in an automatic car wash tunnel. However, wear and dam-
age to the paintwork will depend on the type of car wash used. SEAT recom-
mends the use of car washed without brushes.
To remove traces of wax on windows and to prevent wiper blades from
scratching, please observe the following ⇒ page 249, Cleaning windows
and exterior mirrors.
Washing the car by hand
When washing the car by hand, use plenty of water to soften the dirt first,
and rinse off as well as possible.
Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, glove or brush using only slight
pressure. Start at the roof and work downwards. Special car shampoo
should only be used for very persistent dirt.
Rinse the sponge or glove thoroughly and often.
Wheels, sills and similar should be cleaned last. Use a second sponge for
this.
WARNING
Sharp components on the vehicle may cause injury.
● Protect arms and hands from sharp edges when cleaning the vehicle
undercarriage or the interior of the wheel hubs.
WARNING
After the vehicle has been washed, the braking effect will be reduced
(and the braking distance increased) due to moisture (and ice in winter)
on the brakes.
● Dry the brakes and remove ice by braking carefully. Ensure that you
are not endangering other road-users or breaking traffic regulations in
the process.
CAUTION
● The temperature of the water must not exceed +60 °C (+140 °F).
● To avoid damage to the paintwork, do not wash the vehicle in full sun.
● Do not use rough sponges or similar which could damage the surface to
clean away the traces of insects.
● Never wipe the headlights with a dry cloth or sponge, always moisten
first. It is best to use soapy water.
● Washing the vehicle in low temperatures: When washing the vehicle
with a hose, do not direct water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around
the doors, rear lid, or sunroof. Locks and seals could freeze!
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the vehicle, please observe the following before en-
tering an automatic car wash :
● Compare the distance between the vehicle wheels and the distance be-
tween the guide-rails of the car wash to prevent damage to the wheels and
tyres! 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

249
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
Cleaning windows and exterior mirrors
Cleaning windows and exterior mirrors
Spray windows and exterior windows with a standard window cleaner con-
taining alcohol.
Dry the windows with a clean chamois leather or a lint-free cloth. The cha-
mois leathers used on painted surfaces are not suitable for cleaning win-
dows because they are soiled with wax deposits which could smear the win-
dows.
Use window cleaner or a silicone remover to clean rubber, oil, grease and
silicone deposits off ⇒ 
.
Removing wax deposits
Automatic car washes and certain car care products may leave wax deposits
on the windows. These deposits can only be removed with a special product
or cleaning cloths. Wax deposits on the windscreen could cause the wiper
blades to judder. SEAT recommends you wipe the wax deposits off the wind-
screen with a soft cloth each time after you have washed the vehicle.
A window cleaning detergent which helps to dissolve the wax may be added
to the windscreen washer fluid to prevent the wiper blades from scratching
the windscreen. Please ensure the you add the cleaning product in the cor-
rect proportions. Products for removing grease do not eliminate the wax de-
posits ⇒ 
.
Special cleaning products or window cloths are available at any Technical
Service. To remove wax deposits, SEAT recommends the following products:
● For the hottest time of the year: the window cleaner for summer
use G 052 184 A1. Proportion 1:100 (1 part detergent, 100 parts water) in
the windscreen washer reservoir.
● All year round: the window cleaner G 052 164 A2; proportion 1:2 in
windscreen washer reservoir (1 part concentrate, 2 parts water) in winter, up
to -18 °C (-0.4 °F), or 1:4, during the rest of the year.
● Window cloths G 052 522 A1 for all windows and exterior mirrors. Removing snow
Use a small brush to remove snow from the windows and exterior mirrors.
Removing ice
If possible, use a de-icing spray to remove ice. If you use an ice scraper,
push it in one direction only
without swinging it. If you pull the scraper
backwards, the dirt may scratch the window.
WARNING
Dirty or misted windows reduce visibility in all directions and increase
the risk of accident and serious injury.
● Do not drive unless you have good visibility through all windows!
● Remove ice and snow from the windows and demist inside and out.
CAUTION
● Never mix our cleaning products with other products not recommended
by SEAT in the windscreen washer reservoir. This could lead to flocculation
and may block the windscreen washer jets.
● Do not use hot or warm water to remove ice or snow from the windows
and exterior mirrors. The glass could crack!
● The heating element for the rear window is located on the inner side of
the window. Do not stick adhesive labels over the heating elements and
never clean the inside of the rear window with corrosive or acid products or
other similar chemical cleaning products.
● Aerials on the inside of windows may be damaged if knocked or if
cleaned with corrosive or acid cleaning products. Do not stick adhesive la-
bels over the heating elements and never clean the inside of the rear win-
dow with corrosive or acid products or other similar chemical cleaning prod-
ucts. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

250Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
Cleaning and changing windscreen wiper blades
Fig. 161 Changing the
front wiper blades
Fig. 162 Changing the
rear wiper blade
The windscreen wiper blades are supplied as standard with a layer of graph-
ite. This layer is responsible for ensuring that the wipe is silent. If the graph-
ite layer is damaged, the noise of the water as it is wiped across the wind-
screen will be louder. Check the condition of the wiper blades regularly.
If the wipers scrape
across the glass they should be changed if they are damaged, or cleaned if
they are dirty ⇒ 
.
Damaged wiper blades should be replaced immediately. Wiper blades are
available from specialised workshops.
Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms
The wiper arm may only be lifted at the point where it is fastened to the
blade.
For windscreen wipers, please note: the wiper should be in service position
before unfolding it ⇒ page 106.
Cleaning windscreen wiper blades
● Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms.
● Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the windscreen wiper
blades.
● If the blades are very dirty, a sponge or damp cloth may be used ⇒ 
.
Changing the windscreen wiper blades
● Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms.
● Hold down the release button ⇒ Fig. 161 1
while gently pulling the
blade in the direction of the arrow.
● Fit a new wiper blade of the same length and design on to the wiper arm
and hook it into place.
● Rest the wiper arms back onto the windscreen.
Changing the rear wiper blade
● Lift and unfold the wiper arm.
● Pull the wiper blade out of its mounting on the wiper arm ⇒ Fig. 162 (ar-
row A
).
● Hold down the release button ⇒ Fig. 162 1 while gently pulling the
blade in the direction of the arrow B. This may require some strength.


251
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
● Insert a new blade of the same length and type in the wiper arm in the
opposite direction to the arrow ⇒ Fig. 162 B
and hook into place. This fea-
ture is operational when the knob is in position (arrow A).
● Replace the wiper arm on the rear window.
WARNING
Worn or dirty wiper blades reduce visibility and increase the risk of acci-
dent and serious injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn blades or blades which do not clean
the windscreen correctly.
CAUTION
● Damaged or dirty windscreen wipers could scratch the glass.
● If products containing solvents, rough sponges or sharp objects are
used to clean the blades, the graphite layer will be damaged.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the windows. 
Caring for and polishing the vehicle paintwork
Waxing
Regular waxing protects the paintwork. It is time to apply a good coat of wax
when water no longer forms droplets and rolls off the clean paintwork.
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the automatic car wash, SEAT rec-
ommends protecting the paint with a hard wax coating at least twice a year.
Polishing
Polishing is only necessary if the paint has lost its shine, and the gloss can-
not be brought back by applying wax. If the polish does not contain wax, a wax product should be applied after
polishing.
CAUTION
● To prevent damage, car polish or hard wax should not be used on com-
ponents painted in matt paint, plastic components and the glass headlamp
and tail light covers.
● Do not polish the paintwork if it is dirty, apply polish in dusty or sandy
zones. 
Cleaning chrome parts
Clean chrome parts with a damp cloth. SEAT recommends the use of a
chrome care product to clean stains and dirt from chrome surfaces. Use a
soft dry cloth to polish chrome parts.
CAUTION
To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:
● Do not use abrasive products.
● Do not clean or polish chrome parts in a sandy or dusty environment.
● Do not polish dirty surfaces. 
Caring for and cleaning anodized surfaces
It is not easy to detect the difference between aluminium and an anodized
surface, for example, a radiator grille. However, anodized surfaces must not
be treated in the same way as aluminium surfaces. Never use rough spong-
es or cloths to wipe away insect remains. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Electronic parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Brake assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Brake assist system (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Brakes Brake assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Brake fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Changing the brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Emergency brake indicator in case of sud-den braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Running-in brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189, 191
Brake system Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Brake systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Braking assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Brake assist system (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Breakdown Securing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Bulb fault See changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 C
Card compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Care See "Care of your vehicle" . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Vehicle interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Care of your vehicle Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Caring for paintwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Carrier system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142, 150
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75, 78 Anti-theft alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Locking/unlocking the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 77
Central locking system After airbag deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Opening doors individually . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Centre armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Changing Windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Preparations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Raising the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Bodywork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Front bumper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Halogen headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Initial operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Number plate light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Sea changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Tail lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336, 337
Xenon headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Engaging gears (manual gearbox) . . . . . . 179
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Manually unlocking the gear selector lever . .323
Selecting gears (automatic gearbox) . . . . 180
Warning and control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Changing gears Gear recommendation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Changing the battery of the vehicle key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Changing the wheel After changing the wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Checking Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Checking the oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Check list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Checklist Before working in the engine compart-ment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
In case of an emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
363
Index

Check listPreparations for changing a wheel . . . . . . 310
Raising the vehicle with the jack . . . . . . . . 314
Checklist Refilling precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seat upholstery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Transporting children in the vehicle . . . . . . 40
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Child safety seat Securing with seat belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Integrated child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
ISOFIX child seat on rear seats . . . . . . . . . . 43
Mounting child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Mounting systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
On rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
On the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Securing using a Top Tether retaining strap 45
Securing using ISOFIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Securing using LATCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Transporting children in the vehicle . . . . . . 40
Weight categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Child seats Disabling the front passenger front airbag 35
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152, 153
Cleaning dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
See "Care of your vehicle" . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Cleaning chrome parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Cleaning the vehicle Folding exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Climatronic see "Air conditioner" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Closing Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Electric sliding door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Panoramic sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Rear Lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
See "Locking" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Coat hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Code number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Collection of end-of-life vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Combined weight rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Coming Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Compartment Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Compartments Card compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Centre console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Drawers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Folding table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Front central armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Other storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . 149 Portable waste bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Rear footwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Roof console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Spectacle case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Connectors Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Consumer disconnection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Consumption How it is determined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Control lamp AdBlue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Brake pad wear indication . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Checking the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . 283
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine oil sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . 233
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Fuel level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Lane assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Pressing the brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Steering column lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
364 Index